diff --git a/bin/tests/system/dnstap/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/dnstap/tests.sh
index ac40a38e45..261384fd1f 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/dnstap/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/dnstap/tests.sh
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=$((status + ret))
 
 if [ -n "$FSTRM_CAPTURE" ]; then
-  $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.4 a.example >dig.out
+  $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.4 a.example >dig.out || ret=1
 
   # send an UPDATE to ns4
   $NSUPDATE <<-EOF >nsupdate.out 2>&1 && ret=1
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ EOF
     ret=1
   }
   $RNDCCMD -s 10.53.0.4 dnstap -reopen | sed 's/^/ns4 /' | cat_i
-  $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.4 a.example >dig.out
+  $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.4 a.example >dig.out || ret=1
 
   echo_i "checking reopened unix socket message counts"
   sleep 2